The bottle design with an insert having multiple seals relates generally to infant serving products. More specifically, the present invention refers to nursing bottles having an internal venting tube that prevents a vacuum within the bottle and assists any infant, including a premature infant, to suck liquid from the bottle.
A unique aspect of the present invention is a vent insert with an exterior flange that descends upon the outside of the neck of a container and further prevents leakage from the container. The invention has a second seal formed by a flange on the inferior and lateral aspect of the insert, descending inferiorly and mating with a press fit to the lateral diameter of the neck of the feeding container, which also prevents leaks from the container. The present invention also includes a reservoir which is less than the inside diameter of the neck of the bottle. Preferably, at least one annular projection from the inferior aspect of the insert mates with the reservoir in a press fit which allows for reuse of the reservoir or disposal of the venting assembly. In an alternate embodiment, the diameter of the reservoir is the same as the inside diameter of the neck of the bottle and the reservoir is especially designed with at least two lengthwise flutes for passage of feeding liquid from the bottle through the vent insert and on to the nipple. Additionally, the reservoir may secure to the inferior surfaces of the insert by many methods including sonic welding, spin welding, solvent welding, and the like. The reservoir and vent insert may occupy the opening of the feeding container and the entire venting mechanism provides for full venting during usage.
Newborns and older infants are in need of sustenance in the form of calories, hydration, vitamins, and minerals. Initially, infants require feeding every two to four hours. Traditionally, breast-feeding has supplied the aforementioned sustenance. However, at times, breast milk is inadequate or does not appear. Also, other factors may interfere with the infant receiving adequate hydration and nutrition: being premature, having anatomical issues, such as a cleft lip or palate, or having developmental issues that preclude adequate breast feeding.
For a variety of reasons, babies drink liquids from other sources but, babies lack the ability to drink from ordinary cups. So, liquids are fed to babies using baby, or nursing, bottles. A traditional bottle features a flexible nipple with a hole in its tip secured across an opening in the top of a nursing bottle. The current nursing bottle of the applicants is used by filling the bottle with a liquid, inserting the venting structure, securing the nipple onto the insert resting upon the neck of the bottle, inverting the bottle, and placing the nipple into the baby's mouth for suckling.
Early on, inventors created closed containers to assist feeding infants, a container with a pliable end that was nipple shaped. With this arrangement, significant negative pressure instantly builds within the interior of the container similar to the pressure in the middle ear failing to equalize as the pressure decreases within an airplane, causing ear pain. In a baby bottle, this large vacuum requires a larger negative pressure to withdraw the feeding liquid form the bottle, basically identical to the pressure when the infant sucks on its thumb or pacifier. All of these pressures contribute to the formation of ear fluid, ear infections, speech and motor delays, and delayed cognitive development.
The prior art then introduced a slit, or defect, in the feeding nipple, to allow air to enter the container as the negative pressure accumulates. This adaptation slowly and partially vents the vacuum in the bottle while the infant feeds and still exposes the infant to the detrimental effects of negative pressure. This prior art adaptation also contaminates the feeding liquid as air percolates through the feeding liquid that the infant then swallows and is known to cause colic, fussiness, reflux, and gas induced abdominal pain.
Currently, other nursing bottles, except those by the inventors, are tightly sealed but for the opening in the feeding end of the nipple and the venting slot, or hole, in the flange of the nipple, the bottom of the container, or other locations. In bottles, except those by the inventors, as the baby nurses, the volume of liquid in the bottle decreases and the vacuum increases proportionally. However, this invention and the other patented devices of the inventors use vent tubes that allow ambient air to enter the bottle behind the liquid while the baby suckles. This venting structure continuously and automatically eliminates any vacuum within the bottle created by the suckling baby. The vent tube improves the flow of liquid out of the nipple and makes it easier for the baby to suckle with less risk of ingesting air and the resulting colic.
The negative pressures, or vacuums, in the containers by others previously described and the air introduced into them are mechanical shortcomings that cause significant infant morbidity. It is well known that breast feeding involves a positive pressure within the breast as measured by canulas inserted into the ducts of the breast.
Infant feeding containers originally had a narrow superior orifice to which the nipple was attached. Caregivers noted that the narrow opening prevented ready access to the interior of the bottle and prevented easy cleaning of the interior of the bottle. Manufacturers then made bottles having larger openings.
The larger openings called for nipples and feeding spouts with larger diameter flanges to mate with the opening of a bottle. The larger diameter flanges prevented leaks where the nipples joined to the bottles but, have a larger volume of air contained by the nipples.
Further, infants often chew upon nipples, designed for suckling to remove fluid from a container. Nipples and other feeding accessories therefore have chew resistant designs. Chewing of nipples arises more often in infants with feeding problems, such as neurological delays or deficits, and frequent chewing motion upon objects placed in the mouth, often nipples.
During frequent chewing on a feeding nipple upon a wide neck large volume container, the infant compresses this air, distally, or into the bottle, thereby increasing the pressure upon the interior of the bottle. The increased pressure may force liquid distally into a venting tube located within the bottle. The pressurized liquid possibly traverses the vent tube—if it is cylindrical and not conical—and may enter the vent insert, and then possibly leaks from the bottle. The pressurized liquid can only occur when using larger diameter nipples in combination with reservoirs that utilize straight cylindrical venting tubes. Further, when a cylindrical vent tube is replaced with a conical vent tube, the liquid can no longer be propelled up the vent tube as an infant compresses the large volumetric nipple.
Other applications requiring fluid distribution without the antagonistic effects of a vacuum and without air contamination of the liquid can benefit from a fully vented container which provides for the egress of fluid at a desired rate.
Feeding containers using collapsible bags are messy, expensive, and provide a negative feeding pressure in the last two ounces of feeding liquid. A feeding container from Offman, with a vent in the side of the neck of the bottle, prevents cleaning and its reservoir leaks when the venting mechanism is oriented downwardly and as the infant instinctually compresses the nipple which is necessary for feeding. Previously, the Applicants introduced a container using a venting tube and reservoir formed in two pieces. The Applicants' prior inventions consist of a feeding container and a venting mechanism that provides for full and continuous venting, without leaks, and without percolation of air through the feeding liquid.
Others have attempted to provide a nursing bottle with an air vent to reduce the creation of a vacuum during suckling. An early patent to Roderick, U.S. Pat. No. 598,231 has a nursing bottle with a U shaped tube. However, the average baby, upon uplifting a bottle, had some liquid retained in the U shaped tube that blocked the tube and prevented release of vacuum within the bottle. Other patents show related technology for venting air from the interior of a container, in the U.S. patent to Van Cleave, U.S. Pat. No. 927,013. In addition, the patents to Davenport, U.S. Pat. No. 1,441,623 and to Perry, U.S. Pat. No. 2,061,477, show other means for venting air from within a nursing bottle.
In the preceding work of these applicants, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,779,071 and 5,570,796, venting and internal tubes prevent the formation of partial vacuums during suckling and also resist spills. The '071 patent provides a venting tube that extends into a bottle and a reservoir and has a hollow cylindrical shape projecting downwardly into the bottle. The '796 patent provides a reservoir located above a mark on the bottle. The reservoir communicates with a conduit system to replace suckled liquid with air from outside the feeding container by allowing air to enter through the reservoir to the bottom of the container, thus preventing a partial vacuum in the bottle when in the feeding position. Nursing bottles of a multitude of designs are available in the prior art and except for the patented devices of the applicants, a vacuum will be generated within these bottles when suckled by an infant. A vacuum is known to cause various physiological impairments to the infant when subjected to this type of condition. The vacuum within the bottle, due to the infant's sucking, can cause pressure imbalance in various parts of the body, such as in the ear canal which may accumulate fluid, and cause ear infections, speech delay, motor delay, developmental delay, illness, and other impairments. Thus, a nursing bottle that incorporates air venting means, to prevent the creation of a vacuum inside the bottle, has been desirable for infant serving products. Such can be seen in the inventors' prior patents '071 and '769, when the feeding bottle is inverted, or in the feeding position, external air enters, into the insert, into the reservoir, through the venting tube to the bottom of the bottle, thereby completely eliminating all vacuum within the bottle and air bubbles previously ingested by the infant.
The current invention vents any vacuum within any feeding, or other container, angled, straight, wide neck or other shape, and prevents any vacuum or pressure therein, regardless of whether the nursing bottle is being used when partially or fully inverted.
Other U.S. patents that relate to the subject matter of this invention include the U.S. patent to Briere, U.S. Pat. No. 189,691; U.S. Pat. No. 345,518 to Lelievre; U.S. Pat. No. 679,144 to Hardesty; U.S. Pat. No. 834,014 to Lyke; U.S. Pat. No. 1,600,804 to Donaldson; U.S. Pat. No. 2,156,313 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,239,275 to Schwab; U.S. Pat. No. 2,610,755 to Gits; U.S. Pat. No. 2,742,168 to Panetti; U.S. Pat. No. 2,744,696 to Blackstone; U.S. Pat. No. 3,059,707 to Wilkinson, et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,796 to Brown, et al. In addition, British patents No. 273,185 and No. 454,053 show related developments.
The prior art containers have suffered from significant disadvantages, except for the inventions of the Applicants. Such disadvantages include:
1. The formation of vacuums that prevent oral feeding by infants with cerebral palsy, cleft lip, cleft palate, and other feeding difficulties.
2. The formation of vacuum within a container that delays premature infants from going home when they have a poor sucking reflex or require weaning from a feeding tube.
3. The formation of vacuum within a container that suppresses close bonding contact between caregivers and premature infants that have a poor sucking reflex or require weaning from a feeding tube.
4. The formation of vacuum within a container that prolongs hospitalization and increases costs for premature infants that have a poor sucking reflex or require weaning from a feeding tube.
5. Manufacturing for prior art containers has a high cost for the container, vent parts, and collapsible bags.
6. Reusable feeding containers incur sterilization and handling costs.
7. In a hospital with many infants in one location and because of government regulations, costly bottles, not intended for disposal, are used and then disposed after each feeding.
8. As infants require multiple feedings daily, repeated use of prior art feeding containers increases the incidence of an infant receiving a feeding container previously used by another well or ill infant.
9. Because hospital staff, including nurses, reuse a small number of containers and keep each infant on the same type of container first used by that infant, the incidence rises of an infant receiving a feeding container previously used by another well or ill infant.
10. Also, the parents of an infant will likely reuse containers and keep their infant on the same container that the infant likes, which increases the incidence of their infant receiving a feeding container previously used in a hospital nursery by another well or ill infant.
11. Often, ill infants with varying severity of illness, require hourly feedings which increases the possibility of contamination when non-disposable containers are reused.
12. The prior art bottles, except those of the applicants, do not provide an internal vent system and mechanism for containing fluids which keeps the air vent ports clear of feeding liquid. Therefore, the prior art bottles often leak.
13. Parents, hospital staff, nurses, and relatives report that leakage occurs from vent holes in prior art bottles, except those of the applicants.
14. When prior art bottles release feeding liquid, a vacuum, or negative pressure, occurs in non-vented or partially vented bottles, in contrast to the present invention and the prior patents of the applicants.
15. The vacuum in prior art bottles, except those by the applicants, induces a vacuum in the intra-oral cavity of an infant which spreads into the ears and leads to accumulation of ear fluid, ear infections, speech and motor delays, and cognitive delay among other unhealthy maladies.
16. Prior art bottles, except those of the applicants, cause a vacuum and have an irregular release of the feeding liquid.
17. Vacuum formation in prior art bottles, except those of the applicants, prevents an infant from feeding on demand, the preferred method.
18. Frequently, prior art bottles, except those of the applicants, introduce air into the feeding liquid that an infant ingests. The ingested air contributes to colic, irritability, fussiness, and abdominal gas pain.
19. Further, vacuum formation prevents the use of a feeding liquid container without a positive pressure liquid source, powered by a pump, to overcome the negative pressure within prior art bottles, except those of the applicants. Such pumps burden parents and hospital staff with mechanical devices and higher costs.
20. To overcome the vacuum in prior art bottles, except those of the applicants, the body of the fluid filled container has a vent hole. The vent hole, creates a void where feeding liquid readily escapes, or leaks, and contaminates the immediate area and decreases the amount of feeding liquid in the container.
21. In prior art bottles, except those of the applicants, precise release of feeding liquid has proven difficult due to the gradual rise of the negative pressure.
22. Additionally, vent holes in prior art containers, except those of the applicants, foster contamination of feeding liquid by bacterial growth.
23. Further, the prior art requires the usage of specially designed and expensive materials for disposable parts of the container, such as bags, or expensive materials for durable parts of the container, such as diaphragms.
24. The prior art bottles call for a slightly longer period of time for the venting mechanism to clear itself of liquids.
25. The prior art has a single seal between the insert and the container to prevent leakage therefrom.
The present art overcomes the limitations of the prior art, that is bottles that vent through a void in the flange of the nipple and a need exists for eliminating vacuum inside nursing bottles. That is, the art of the present invention, a bottle design with an overlapping insert forming two seals prevents leaks at the neck of the bottle and allows liquid to flow readily around a reservoir thus eliminating the formation of a vacuum within a nursing bottle. The enlarged proximal portion of the vent tube minimizes the incidence of leakage from the bottle. The present invention cleans easily, and dissipates pressure generated by chewing. The present invention prevents leaks, and immediately and continuously vents a bottle, by eliminating any air bubbles in the vent tube.
Additionally, the present invention presents the following advantages:
1. The elimination of vacuums fosters oral feeding by infants with cerebral palsy, cleft palate, and other feeding difficulties.
2. The elimination of a vacuum within a container reduces the time necessary before premature infants go home as their sucking reflex strengthens as they wean quicker from a feeding tube.
3. The elimination of vacuum within a container fosters close bonding contact between caregivers and premature infants that have a poor sucking reflex or require weaning from a feeding tube.
4. The elimination of vacuum within a container shortens hospitalization and reduces costs for premature infants weaned more quickly from a feeding tube.
5. Manufacturing for the present invention has a low cost for the container, the vent parts, and other components.
6. The components of the present invention are disposable if desired.
7. Where infants receive care in groups, the inexpensive, container of the present invention can be discarded following each feeding.
8. As infants require multiple feedings per day, the low cost present invention can be discarded, which decreases the incidence of an infant receiving a feeding container previously used by another infant or an ill infant.
9. As hospital staff and nurses have a small number of containers, the present invention allows use of any type of formula.
10. The parents of an infant, who likely have a limited number of containers, can keep their infant on its preferred container, which decreases the incidence of an infant receiving a feeding container previously used by another infant or an ill infant.
11. The present invention, a durable item, may be re-used if desired. Alternatively if the present invention is disposed, the incidence decreases of an infant receiving a feeding container previously used by another infant or an ill infant.
12. Often, ill infants, require feedings multiple times per hour which is supported by the disposable feature of the present invention and thus decreases contamination by reuse of bottles.
13. An internal vent system and mechanism for containing fluids in the present invention keeps the air vent ports clear of feeding liquid regardless of the position of the container.
14. Parents, hospital staff, nurses, and relatives will benefit from a marked reduction in leaks from bottles as the present invention has no need to use vent holes.
15. When the present invention releases feeding liquid, no vacuum, or negative pressure occurs.
16. The lack of a vacuum within the present invention prevents the existence of a vacuum in the intra-oral cavity of an infant which decreases the incidence of accumulation of ear fluid, ear infections, speech and motor delays, and cognitive delay among other maladies.
17. The present invention has regular release of the feeding liquid to the infant as a result of the absence of a vacuum.
18. The present invention encourages an infant to feed on demand, the preferred method of feeding.
19. The present invention does not introduce air into the feeding liquid that gets consumed by an infant and therefore greatly reduces the possibility of colic, irritability, fussiness, and abdominal gas pain.
20. Further, no pump is required by the present invention as no vacuum has to be overcome, thus lowering the cost burden on parents and hospital staff.
21. The present invention has no vent holes through which feeding liquid could leak, contaminate the immediate area, and also decrease the amount of feeding liquid remaining in the container.
22. The present invention provides for precise release of feeding liquid due to the constant positive pressure.
23. The present invention has no holes in the wall of the container as in several prior art containers, thereby making the container easier to clean and reducing the contamination of the feeding liquid with air and bacteria.
24. Further, the present invention does not require the usage of expensive materials to ensure completely sealed mating of a reservoir to an insert, an insert to a bottle, or expensive materials for disposable parts of the container, such as bags, or expensive materials for durable parts of the container, such as diaphragms.
25. The present invention has a shorter period of time for the venting mechanism to clear itself of liquids.
26. The present invention uses two seals between the insert and the container to prevent leakage therefrom.
The present invention with the advantages described and avoiding the disadvantages of the prior art containers by others provides infants and their care givers a container for feeding liquid with virtually no leaks, no vacuum, and little, if any, air ingested by the infant.